it was in this field the shepherds received news of the greatest gift ever given to mankind most
of you know the story of our messiah's birth over 2,000 years ago how our savior the king of kings
took on flesh born of Mary and laid in a manger i'm sure this holiday season feels unlike any
other we've ever experienced this year has been full of unexpected challenges and disappointments
uncertainty and loss and as the world remembers and celebrates the birth of our messiah
i can't help but think of what Mary and Joseph were experiencing in this time imagine the
stress they faced as the time of Yeshua's birth drew near already facing social stigma at home
then to get news that they were required by roman law to travel over 90 miles on foot
over mountains and treacherous terrain from the north of israel to Bethlehem this was not
a simple journey they were faced with threats of raiders flash floods and unpredictable weather
i know how nervous i was when the time came for our first son to be born before birth every mom
works tirelessly to prepare way for the baby to have an easy and comfortable entry try to imagine
bearing the promised messiah and being thrown into such a devastating turn of events as a
pregnant woman but from our vantage point in history what seemed to be a disastrous turn
for mary and joseph worked out to fulfill prophecy and give glory to God i know there's been times in
my life where i couldn't understand why things were happening the way they were
only to look back years later to see God's plan in the midst of my trial
so let's ask ourselves if the decree from caesar never occurred would Mary and Joseph
have traveled to bethlehem so clearly this trial turned out to perfectly fulfill prophecy but why
did the messiah need to be born in Bethlehem let's turn to Micah 5:2 which reads but you
bethlehem ephrata though you are little among the thousands of judah yet out of you shall come
forth to me the one to be ruler in israel whose going forth are from the old from everlasting
also in mike 4 8 we read in you o tower of the flock the stronghold of the daughter of zion to
you shall it come even the former dominion shall come the kingdom of the daughter of jerusalem so
the future king the messiah will be from not just the town of bethlehem but much more specifically
bethlehem efrata the agricultural zone in migdal edel the tower of the flock eusebius the bishop
of caesarea during the 4th century wrote in his book and i quote migdal edel was located one roman
mile east of bethlehem and it's here due east across from the valley of bethlehem that we find
the ruins of the tower of the flock mentioned by micah but what was this tower of the flock about
and why did the messiah need to be born in an agricultural zone of bethlehem
this was the field of david but much deeper than being david's stomping ground was what
david set up here as the king of israel as david set his heart to bring the tabernacle to jerusalem
and later make preparations for the temple he set in order this field to raise the sacrificial flock
for the priests he gave his ancestral land to be dedicated to this special flock the most
looked after field in all of israel you can see more of these shepherds tower here than anywhere
else in the world but why so many towers because the shepherds were not raising your average sheep
if a bone was broken or any blemish at all was found the lamb was considered unkosher for
sacrifice they had to perfectly guard these sheep the shepherds who received the announcement from
heaven were the very same ones in charge of the passover lamb how amazing that it was these very
shepherds that looked after Yeshua that holy night our passover lamb Yeshua the messiah was placed
in a manger and wrapped in swaddling clothes not just in any random site not just to show
the humble entry of the messiah to the earth but to foreshadow the work he was sent to do
those words in Luke's gospel spoken to the shepherds were bursting forth with deep meaning
according to rabbinic tradition the priest would come every high holy day from jerusalem
to migdal eder the priestly tower of the flock to inspect the lamb before the big day
they would place the lamb in a manger and after inspection the lamb would be wrapped in
swaddling cloth and brought to jerusalem for the sacrifice they wrapped the lamb instead of leading
it along as to ensure that nothing would happen to the lamb in transit to the temple if the lamb
wriggled out of the priest's hand that passover would be ruined so there was no room for chance
so Yeshua born in the agricultural center foretold by Micah because he was to be the lamb of God
to take away the sins of the world he was wrapped in the same swaddle and laid in the manger
looked after by the same shepherd that raised and cared for the passover and atonement sacrifices
we can see this beautiful tapestry of prophecy fulfilled in our time but i'm sure that in the
moment Mary and Joseph were just trying to make the best of an extremely difficult trial
they probably were struggling with doubt and fear but God was waving through their trials
a story of redemption and salvation of the lamb that was slain from the creation of the world
so my prayer for you is that you see the faithfulness of God
in this season that in this difficult time God may be writing a beautiful story of redemption
through your trials and i pray you are encouraged with this beautiful story of God's amazing love
you